


In the Fading Light

by Watermel0nBob



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Underswap (Undertale), Angst and Tragedy, Heavy Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Soulmates, Suicide, Underswap Papyrus (Undertale), Underswap Sans (Undertale)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 02:28:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28805862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Watermel0nBob/pseuds/Watermel0nBob
Summary: Stretch meets someone on a bridge. It doesn't end well.
Relationships: Papyrus (Undertale)/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 33





	In the Fading Light

**Author's Note:**

> Please be warned, there is suicide in this. This is not a happy fic. It is sad and tragic and great for people who need to feel angst.

The churning water was black beneath my dangling feet, and I couldn’t help but be utterly fascinated with how quickly any random object thrown in was sucked up by the hungry current. I had drowned out the deafening roar by now, having grown numb to it over the past six hours. The afternoon glow had dwindled into a welcoming twilight, specks of white beginning to appear across the expanse of darkening sky. It was a pretty view, and the main reason I chose this spot in the first place.

Nothing like one last glimpse of the setting sun to ease my mind before I died, right?

I heard a shuffling gait to my right and found the skeleton man who’d been standing by for the past two hours. He was tall, but slouched over in a way to make himself seem smaller, like he was insecure about his height. Or maybe he just didn’t give a fuck about good posture. Either way, he’d gone through two packs of cigarettes by now and was aiming to open a third. How did skeletons even breathe in smoke?

That was a question I’d never get an answer to. I didn’t need it where I was going, unless hell was filled with only smoking skeleton monsters in orange hoodies. The image made me snort, and my hand slapped itself over my mouth in hopes of quieting it. The motion made me teeter on the railing slightly, and I would have fallen if I hadn’t reacted quickly by grabbing onto it and leaning away from the water.

I may want to jump, but not just yet. It had to be the perfect moment.

The skeleton was suddenly right next to me, casually looking at the same river I was as if he’d always been there. As if he wasn’t carefully watching my every move. I smiled to myself at his efforts. I had assumed by the second pack of smokes that he hadn’t stuck around for his own amusement. I almost felt bad for him, thinking he could save me. I was beyond helping a long ass time ago.

I couldn’t tell you how long we sat there in silence, the air dipping in temperature and leaving goosebumps along my skin. I should have thought to bring a jacket, but then again did it matter what I wore now? It was just another layer the coroner had to pull off my bloated, rotting body. The image left me giggling louder than I intended.

Skeleton man smirked, no longer hiding his staring at the sound of my voice. I think if I actually cared about looks, I’d say he was kinda cute. In a grungy, sloppy kind of way. Maybe it was my morbid humor telling me that I found literal bones attractive. I was laughing again, head tilting to face the sky and not caring if he thought I was crazy. This would be our only meeting after all.

  
  


“gonna let me in on the joke?” it was the first time he spoke, and let me tell you he didn’t sound anything like I’d imagine. How could a voice be deep yet nasally at the same time? I would have laughed again if he didn’t look genuinely curious, as if what I said actually mattered.

  
  


“How do you bone?” I asked, figuring it wouldn’t hurt to be a little rude. The sins that would follow me were way worse than an offensive remark.

It was his turn to laugh, and any other day I would have found it welcoming. Right now it just was another thing I’d be leaving behind.

  
  


“same as you do i suppose,” he replied, flicking the lighter and bringing it to the cigarette in his teeth. I absently held my palm out, and without hesitation he placed the lighter and pack in it. Fishing out a death stick I lit it up confidently, inhaling deeply, only to immediately cough and drop it into the waters below. Unfortunately, his belongings went with it, leaving us both empty handed.

  
  


“Well shit,” I cursed. It wasn’t like I’d meant to chuck a stranger’s stuff into the abyss after all.

  
  


“s’all good. you can buy me another one later,” he said it with such certainty I almost believed him.

  
  


“Yeah,” I lied, because where was the harm in making him think he could make a difference?

  
  


“wanna go grab it after some grub? know a place with the best burgs in town,” he tried again, and damn if I didn’t feel a little guilty for what I was about to say next.

  
  


“I’m good, don’t wait on my account if you’re hungry though. Hey, gimme your number and we can meet up another time,” I handed him my shitty phone, screen cracked to oblivion and the case barely holding on. He chuckled at it, quickly typing his number and name into it. I almost didn’t bother looking at his name in my contact list, but when I caught a glimpse I froze.

  
  


“Papyrus, huh? Not a super common name,” I commented, pocketing the device quickly. If I stared at it any longer I might start having second thoughts.

  
  


“lot more common in monster culture,” he replied, but didn’t elaborate. I didn’t really want him to.

  
  


“Cool. Well, I gotta go. Nice chattin’ with ya. I’ll uh, text ya soon about those smokes,” it came out too rushed, I didn’t want to be panicked when the time came but he’d spooked me. If only I hadn’t asked a stupid question, then I would have been none the wiser.

I hastily slid down the railing onto the concrete ledge, staring my doom head on and ready to take the leap. I took a deep breath, bracing myself for the inevitable cold and pain I’d feel upon impact, but when I went to jump I was stopped by porous hands gripping my shoulders.

I was whipped around to face him, and he was trying his best to pull me to safety. Either he was really just all bones, or I’d gained more weight than I thought. It was to my advantage though, because after many attempts he couldn’t pull my fat ass over. He settled for staring at me with panicked eyes and desperately keeping his grip. I welcomed the feeling of his phalanges digging in, knowing I’d likely bruise there even after I stopped breathing.

  
  


“you know you’re worth it right? whatever is drivin’ you to do this doesn’t define you!” ah, there was the reaction I’d been expecting all along. The pleading eyes, the way his tone lifted in pathetic hope that he might be able to get through to me. That all it took was one person showing they cared to make me change my mind.

That was the thing though, I did have people who cared. I had loving parents who called twice a week just to catch up and ask how I’ve been. A job that I enjoyed and was good at, and I was well liked by my coworkers. A roommate and a cat at home, waiting for me to come by with the dinner I’d promised but would never bring. I had it all, I was pretty lucky with the wonderful life I’d made for myself.

The problem was that I didn’t care.

I would stare out the window every morning willing myself to give a shit. Telling myself that I was worth it, that life was amazing and something I should be looking forward to, all I had to do was open my fucking eyes and just see it. But when dawn turned to dusk and I’d come home after a lovely day of work, laughing at something my roommate said and returning to my room with a full belly, I’d stare at the ceiling and remind myself that I still didn’t care. That none of it mattered to me.

Which lead to the decision of putting it to an end. Of selfishly making the apathy disappear by stopping it at the source. It was easy really, why would anyone suspect that I wanted to die when I was always so happy? Happy people didn’t want to kill themselves, right? They had all been fooled and it was better that way.

“You know Papyrus, I think if things had been different, we could have been something great,” I knew I’d confused him, but I wasn’t gonna stick around to give him answers. Instead I leaned forward and kissed him on the teeth with all the passion I could muster, and it surprised him enough to let me go. All I had to do was lean back, and I was falling into the treacherous waters below.

I was right about it being cold, but it was still a shock to my body as it crashed into the current. I think I hit a rock or something, for pain bloomed unpleasantly at the back of my head before I was abruptly swept into a swirling torrent. The sensation was nothing compared to the burning of my lungs as the wind was knocked out of me and I fought for air.

I was never able to hold my breath for very long, so it only took another forceful shove to leave me gaping for relief. I was rewarded with water filling my mouth and throat, flooding my airways and suffocating me slowly.

People said this is the part where your mind panics, and you try to fight for survival. Adrenaline kicks in, and you do everything you can to reach the surface, to get one last desperate gasp of oxygen in hopes it will keep you going a little longer. Despite the excruciating pain my body was experiencing, I did none of those things. Most likely because my body wouldn’t let me, either from a concussion or broken limbs I’m sure.

Honestly, I could only feel peace overwhelm me. As horrible of a way to die it was, it was better than the emptiness I’d been feeling for so many years prior. I could feel my lips quirk into a smile, body giving up on trying to get me to breathe.

I’d like to think that’s how they’d find me, grinning like an idiot with a peaceful expression. It was the final thought I had before everything went black.

  
  


\-----------

He’d called the police as soon as they’d fallen. Once it was confirmed the authorities were on their way, he’d hung up and called Sans, who didn’t hesitate to teleport to his side. He was still staring at the water when his brother found him, but once he met his concerned eyes; he screamed. It echoed around them ominously in the previously quiet air, and it didn’t stop until the first patrol car rolled up with lights on.

It’d taken twenty minutes of reassurances and being bundled in numerous blankets for him to settle down enough to explain what happened. The officer kept her questions brief, and didn’t waste any time forming a search party in hopes of finding them before it was too late. He knew better though. They didn’t even fight, he could see how limp they’d been the moment they hit the water, before they were sucked under never to be seen again. His bones rattled violently, and he was on the verge of another panic attack when Sans held him close and kissed the top of his skull.

  
  


“IT WASN’T YOUR FAULT BROTHER,” Sans once again reassured, at a volume that was significantly lower than his usual, boisterous lilt. That was more unsettling than anything, but Papyrus couldn’t expect him to be jovial at a time like this.

  
  


“they kissed me before they jumped,” he stated, as if commenting on the weather. He had been staring at the same tree for the past ten minutes, and had no plans of stopping even as the shorter skeleton hovered around him.

  
  


“YOU KNOW PEOPLE AREN’T VERY LOGICAL WHEN DESPERATE, PAPYRUS. EVEN MONSTERS DO UNREASONABLE THINGS BEFORE THEY FALL,” he was trying his best to sound soothing, but it was clear the whole incident had scared him. Sans hadn’t even watched the human jump and he still shuddered what it might be like to have someone slip through your fingers to their death.

  
  


“maybe. but they acted like they knew me, ya know? like they’d waited their entire life to meet me,” he decided not to disclose what they’d said before blindsiding him with that kiss. It only brought up more questions than answers, and his nonexistent stomach churned at the feelings that came along with it.

He could remember how soft their lips felt, how they fit perfectly against his teeth like a puzzle piece clicking into place. Their arms were warm beneath his phalanges, and he didn’t realize just how much give humans had until he’d squeezed them tight enough to leave marks. If only he had been strong enough to pull them over that damn railing.

  
  


“IT’S BEEN A DIFFICULT NIGHT BROTHER, WHY DON’T WE HEAD HOME AND GET SOME REST?” he was being lifted into sturdy arms before he could protest, and it didn’t take long for him to lay limp in his blanket prison as his brother teleported them back home. The authorities would call in the morning with any updates.

  
  


\----------

They found them the next morning, a mile from where they’d jumped. Their body was littered in bruises, broken bones and lacerations, bloated beyond recognition. Fortunately, they’d left their wallet on them, and police were able to contact their loved ones and deliver the news.

Sans had been the one to answer the call, and when he came to the younger skeleton’s room to relay the information, Papyrus had been numb. He rolled to face the wall and didn’t say another word until Sans left with the click of his door. Certain he was alone, he let himself cry.

It was silent tears at first, honey hued streaks glistening his cheekbones and staining the sheets below. The muffled sobs and hiccups quickly followed, and he held his pillow like a lifeline until nothing more came out of his sockets. He went to sleep and woke up three days later.

He bought his first ever newspaper just so he could read their obituary. Sans had made him a dozen pancakes, topped with bananas and lovingly drizzled with honey. He refused to take the first bite until he’d found the right page, and upon seeing their cheesy grin printed in black and white he stopped to read the words below it.

  
  


_Loving child. Successful student. Hard worker. Funny and full of life._

  
  


He snorted, stuffing his teeth with a mouthful of cake and honey. Either their family was lying to save face, or they’d been too stupid to see the obvious. The happiest looking people were often the worst off. He knew from personal experience.

He stood to place his now empty plate in the sink, the paper already crumpling beneath his fist. He stopped at the last second, realizing he didn’t even know their name. How could he let himself forget the name of the person he couldn’t save?

Smoothing the crinkled sheet out on the table he skimmed the words in search of his answer. What he found made his soul stop.

  
  


_“Papyrus, huh? Not a super common name.”_

  
  


No. There’s no way.

  
  


_“You know Papyrus, I think if things had been different, we could have been something great.”_

  
  


He stumbled to the trash can, staring at the contents inside before retching all over them. His mind was reeling, and as he upchucked his breakfast he replayed their words over and over in his head.

When he was sure nothing else would come up he fell to the floor, hastily throwing his hoodie off and clawing at the black tank beneath it. The way their lips fit so perfectly against his teeth came to mind as he searched for the two words etched into his bone.

He stared disbelieving at the curly script, lovingly placed on the inside of one of his ribs. It wasn’t as bold as before, as if the ink had been smudged before it could dry. Before his eyes he swore it began to blur, and that sent him running to the trash can again. This time it was only bile, but soon it was mixed with bitter tears that he couldn’t stop from falling.

  
  


He’d had them.

  
  


He'd been standing next to them for hours, had watched the sun go down by their side. He’d laughed at their dumb question, thinking it was horribly rude but still funny. He’d looked into their twinkling eyes and recognized the hidden sadness he always felt. He’d given them his number in hopes it’d be enough to get them to leave with him.

  
  


He’d told them they were worth it, had held them close and kissed them.

  
  


He’d had his soulmate, his other half, right in front of him the entire time.

  
  


......

  
  


And he’d let them die.


End file.
